Itinerary
- Day 1
Marangu Gate to Mandara Hut
After breakfast and a briefing, you'll drive to Kilimanjaro National Park Gate, which takes about an hour. Once there, you'll register and start your climb through the rainforest toward Mandara encampment. The trail takes you through towering Eucalyptus trees where you might spot Colobus monkeys and various bird life. If you're up for it, there's an optional detour to Maundi Crater that gives you views across Northern Tanzania and into Kenya. The rainforest section is relatively gradual, so it's a good introduction to the mountain before things get steeper.
- Start point
- Marangu, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (Marangu Hotel, 07:00 - 07:30)
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk through rainforest to Mandara encampment
- Register at Kilimanjaro National Park Gate
Optional Activities
- Side trip to Maundi Crater
Landmarks/POIs Kilimanjaro National Park Maundi Crater Mandara Hut 
- Day 2
Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut
This day you'll leave the rainforest behind and head up through open moorlands to reach Horombo encampment. The path climbs steadily and the landscape changes completely, with giant lobelias and groundsels appearing as you gain elevation. You'll get your first real views of Mawenzi and Kibo's summit from here, which gives you a sense of the mountain's scale. Altitude effects might start showing up at this point, so the pace stays measured and you're encouraged to hydrate and eat well. The moorland section is where the trek becomes noticeably more demanding.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Ascend through open moorlands to Horombo encampment
Landmarks/POIs Horombo Hut - Day 3
Horombo Hut to Moshi
You'll have breakfast and then start your descent, heading back through moorland to Mandara Hut before continuing down through the lush forest path. The descent is long but less physically taxing than going up, though the terrain gets wetter and muddier as you drop in elevation. By the time you reach the National Park gate at Marangu, conditions are quite wet. A vehicle picks you up there and drives you back to Moshi, about an hour away, where you'll return to your hotel to rest and recover.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Descent through moorland to Mandara Hut
- Descent through forest to Marangu National Park gate
Landmarks/POIs Marangu Gate
